Getting a Rental Car after an auto accident isn’t always easy

Getting a rental car after an auto accident isn’t always as easy as you might think.  It would seem to make sense that if the other person is at fault and leaves you without a car, that their insurance company would put you in a rental while your car is being fixed.  NOT SO FAST!

Under Florida insurance law, the at-fault driver’s insurance company does not have to provide you with a rental vehicle.  In any auto accident case it is up to each driver to have the appropriate coverage.  That means that you, even if you are not at fault, need to have “renter’s coverage” on your policy.

The most common rental car insurance coverage provides for up to $30 per day for a maximum of 30 days.  Even then, it is not uncommon for the insurance company to refuse to provide a car for longer than they believe is necessary to be repaired.  So if the insurance company thinks it should only take 3 days for your car to be fixed, but it actually takes 5 days, you may be responsible for the other 2 days.  Even if you have 30 days of coverage, it does not mean that the insurance company will give you the full 30 days.

Don’t lose your benefits.  If you have been involved in an auto accident in Tampa or any other city in Florida, please call me for a free consultation.  Even if you have not, call me and I will be glad to review your insurance policy with you and discuss what coverages you have or should have.